Aberdeen Retires World-First Hydrogen Double-Decker Bus Fleet
Hydrogen Bus Fleet
Aberdeen City Council is selling off a fleet of 25 hydrogen-powered double-decker buses after a series of technical problems, shifting to electric vehicles instead.
World-First Fleet Retired
The fleet of 25 hydrogen double-decker buses in the Scottish city of Aberdeen is expected to be sold off, with the council choosing to drop the buses in favour of electric vehicles.
How Hydrogen Buses Work
Hydrogen buses carry fuel cells that combine hydrogen with oxygen to generate electricity on board, emitting only water vapour rather than tailpipe pollutants. They require dedicated hydrogen refuelling infrastructure and a reliable supply of the gas, which is typically compressed and stored on the vehicle.
Exiting the BP Joint Venture
The council is also set to exit a joint venture with energy company BP, which had supported the city’s hydrogen bus programme alongside the wider rollout of the hydrogen bus fleet.
Why the Decision Was Made
City officials cited a series of technical problems with the hydrogen-powered fleet as the driver behind the move to electric vehicles, which have become a more mature option for public transport operators.
Hydrogen Mobility That Carries Cargo
Aberdeen’s experience highlights the operational reality of hydrogen mobility: infrastructure and reliability decide whether a fuel-cell fleet endures. Klean addresses that in freight through its NMC project, running hydrogen fuel-cell Class 8 trucks for scrap-tire logistics with Nikola, Plug Power, and Enapter on a working commercial route.
Learn More:
Prove Hydrogen Mobility in Freight
Klean’s NMC project runs hydrogen fuel-cell Class 8 trucks on a real scrap-tire route, demonstrating hydrogen mobility where it pays.
Want to learn more about hydrogen mobility?
With Klean and KBR, projects run on an open-book basis with clear accountability and performance guarantees.
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